Celebrities Who Play Soccer

Mia Hamm, Stephen Moyer, Nomar Garciaparra AP Images

Actually, I should probably change the title and say celebrities who try to play soccer and show up for the occasional charity match on occassion.

And not disrespect to them, much respect to them for trying. Soccer is sort of like learning a new language, if you've never had any base foundation as a child, speaking another language or using your feet as in soccer, it makes things hard when you get older to train your feet or your tongue. Using your feet to kick the ball rather than your hands, is like rolling the r's in Spanish for some people.

It makes it a lot easier if you've touch the ball a bit as a kid, as most people have. But a majority of young soccer players in the U.S., and celebrities, left the beautiful game around high school and took up American football, baseball or basketball - the three big sports in America.

It's not tool late though, and why not take a spin in the game? Many stars of movies and film have an artistic sense, and come to see that soccer is an intricate and skillful game, fast paced and much harder than you think. And, the game is growing in popularity in the United States, so it's cool to like soccer.

Here are a few of the celebrities who have shown they're fans of the game and kicked the ball on occassion:

Jon Stewart Played soccer at William and Mary. You've probably seen him to a promotion for Fox Soccer Channel.

Andrew Shue: played soccer at Dartmouth where he was an All-American and also played in Zimbabwe, for the Bulawayo Highlanders, the Zimbabwe national champions.
Ethan Zohn: winner of Survivor Africa co founded Grassroot Soccer, which uses soccer to educate people about HIV/AIDS; Vassar College, and played professionally for the Hawaii Tsunami and Cape Cod Crusaders of the United Soccer Leagues and in Zimbabwe for Highlanders Football Club.

Robert Gibbs: The White House Press Secretary and a key member of the Obama campaign, played goalkeeper for the North Carolina State Wolfpack soccer team.

Chef Gordon Ramsay: Ramsay was a promising schoolboy who was monitored by Rangers over a three-year period. "During this time, he played a couple of non-league matches as a trialist. A knee injury put paid to any further hopes of being signed by Rangers."